Egg-case filler



LAWBH '7 Now 13 '1923. B. SEGUR EGG CASE FILLER Filed July 17 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v FIE- .8

FIB 11 FIB- B FIB 12 INVENTOR,

FIG .9

'A TTORNEY.

mmm

Nov, 13 1923.

A. B. SEGUR EGG CASE FILLER Filed July 17 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIB JU IA-'I ENTOR A TT ORNE Y.

Patented Nov. 13, 1923.

FFECG ASA B. SEGUR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO TITE-PACK FILLER CO., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPOEATION OF ILLINOIS.

EGG-CASE FILLER. v

Application filed July 17, 1922. Serial NO. 575,459.

TO all whm 't may 0071067'71! Be it known that I, ASA B. SEGUR, a, citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented Certain new and useful Improvements in an Egg-Case Fller; and I do hereby declare the following to be a. full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to Cellular containers of the general class ol? which egg cases are typical, its general object being that of r providing a simple and inexpensive tightpack compartment arrangement which will be unusually effective for preventing break age of the Objects packed in the various Cells when the container is subjected to sudden jars. In a. more particular aspect, my invention relates to compartinental containers comprising Cellular fillers interposed between flats, and ainis to equip the fillers with simple and effective means for insuring a tight interfitting of the fillers with the container to prevent a sliding of the 'fillers within the container, and for preventing the shocks coinmonly encountered when Shipping eggs from dainaging the eggs even it these shocks are suficient to break the interlocking of the relatively ransverse filler strips;

In Shipping eggs, it has long been customary to pack the same in Cellular fillers superposed alternately with horizontal fiats in a crate or Container section corresponding approximately to the horizontal outside dimensions of the tillers. Both the fillers and the flats are Connnonly made of a rather cheap gradeot' cardboard, and in practice the fiexibilit; and resilency of such cardboard usually distributes the thrust against each eg sufiiciently to pr vent breakage, hence experience has shown that even cheap strawboard has sufii cient flexibilty and resiliency to distrib-ute the thrust against each egg under most conditions. That s to say, the contents of the egg Shell cooperate with the resiliency of the Shell itself in preventing a breakage unless the blow or thrust localized, so

that no egg is likely to be broken by the thrust of a cell Wall against the same if this Wall can curve freely around a considerable portion of the egg so as to distribute the strain. However, it' a cell Wall is 'orced flatwise against a crate wall, the localizing of the thrust is apt to cause breakage and breakage s also 'apt to occur if the Cells are permitted to buckle so that eggs in two adjacent Cells impinge against opposite sides of the intervening Cell well, or if the fillers are free to slide.

In practice, the cell walls against which the eggs are most likely to iinpinge are those extending transversely of the crates, it being customary to load egg cases longitudinally of railway ears SO that the shocks due to the switchiug of ears (or to a bumping ct ears when the train is Suddenly stopped) are exerted longitudinally of the crates. To prevent such schocks from breaking eggs, it is important that the transverse filler strips should be kept simply spaced 'from each other to prevent eggs from simultaneously engaging the interposed cell walls, and that the endmost transverse strips should not be allowed to ress flatwise a 'ainst the ad'acent era-to walls'even if the shocks are such as to tear the 'formations which hold these strips interlocked with the strips extending longitudinally of the crate.

My present invention ainis to meet these requirements in an exceedingly simple and inexpensive construction and one which will not demand any special skill on the part of the user or any extra parts (such as end cushions) in addition to the fillers and the fiats between which the filler-s are interposed. It also aims to provide simple and effective means for insuring a tight packing of the filler in the crate, particularly lengthwse of' the letter, in spite of variations in the length of the conipartinents. For this lat-ter purpose my aim is to provide filler extensions which are sufliciently yieldable before the crate is filled to adjust themselves to the eXact length of the crate compartment in which the fillers are used, but which will thereafter be clamped as to resist movements of the filler under ordinary conditions. Furthermore, it aims to arrange these liller extensions so that they will pre- Vent the endmost transi 'orse strips from being flattened against the adjacent crato walls in case the interlock between these endmost strips and the longitudinal filler strips is ruptured, and so that abnormal thrusts when continued after such rupturing has occurred may cause a limited yield; ing movement of the extensions but will not sever the latter from the .endmost transverse strips which carry them. It also aiins to provide these novel filler portions with an initial set which will hold the extensions in snua positions when the fillers are inserted in the erate that the pacliing of the latter will auton'iatically insure the desired fight-patti: etleot.

Moreover, my invention aiins to accom plish these purposes while cmployiny; grades Oi" paper best adapted for the Various constituent parts of 'the filler and while using an easily nianutaCtured construction. Still further and also more detailed objects will appear from the following specilica tion and from the aeconipanying drawings, in which- Fig. l is an isoinetric View of a fillersection embodying my invention, showing the extensions in the postions in which they are disposed when in use in a packed c 'ate F 2 is an enlarged and fragmentary elevation of two sections of an Case enihodying my invention, taken with the nearer side of the Case removed and with the parts inoperative position as if the case were packed.

Fig. 3 is a still more enlarged Vertical section taken along the line 3-3 in .Figzl and also showing' the adjacent end wall Oli' the crate.

Fig. is a ragmentary similar View showing* how the transverse filler wall adjacent to this end 'wall of the c 'ate is fiexed when the crate is subjected to a severe blow tending to slide it bodily towards the right in F'g. i

Fg. 5 is a similar View also showing an egg in a Cell and showing 'what happens when the thrust is suticient to tear the endmost transverse filler Wall out of its interlocking engagement with the long'itudinal filler walls.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged and 'ragmentary View of an end of one of the longitudinal filler strips.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged and :fragmentary view of the blanlC from which one of the endmost t 'ansverse filler strips is made,with a dotted line showing theapproximate bending' line Fig. 8 is a :tragmentary plan View of a cr'ate embodying my invention with the cover, the usual upper paclcng. and the upper fiat removed, and with the eggs shown as having flexed the adjacent transv'erse filler walls owing to a thrust tending to slide the crate towards the right.

Fig. 9 is a reduced horizontal section of such an egg crate, taken 'from above one of the intermediate fiats to show the relative j filler showing 'how eggs can he damaged if the filler is tree to buckle.

Fg. 13 is a fragmentary side elevation of a filler detached :from 'a crate, showing how the initial set in one of the endmost transverse strips raises this and disposes the extension obliquely'downward In accom'plishing the purposes of iny invention after the manner of the :LL-Company; ing drawings, I employ' filler sections each of which is made of two relatively intersecting sets o't cardboard strips, the intermediate strips l which extend transversely ol" the crate being desirably of a length closely approaching the interior, width of the crate or crate section in which the fillers are to be used. The longitudinal filler strips 2 are desirably somewhatshorter than the interior length ol' the crate or cratesection, so as to aid in allowing for variations in this length as hereafter described. The two sets of strips are relatively interlocked in 'the usual inanner, as 'for exalnple by having the transverse strips notched upwardly from their lower edges to partly straddle the longitudinal strips and by having the longitudinal strips equipped with tongues S entering Vertical slots -l in the transverse strips, the transverse strips having downwardly Open notches 5 to permit the said straddling. Interposed between the succes site filler's are horz'ontal (5, which fiats can also be shorter 'than the 'interior length of' the crate or crate section and desi'rably are no' longer than the longitudinal filler.

strips.

W ith the parts thus arrang'ech it will he evident from Fig. 2 that if the transverse filler strips l were allolt the usual construc- 1 tion, the resulting filler section could slide treely back and forth within the crate. TO resist such sliding, I desirably make each endmost transverse filler' Strip 7 from a paper Strip considerably wider than that: used in making the other transverse strips lld 1, and bend this wider strip to afi'brd an extension web 8 which is folded over the adjacent tips of the loneitudina'l filler strips towards the adjacent end Wall 91015 the brat-e and into e'dgewise engagement with the latter. To secure this engagement with the crate end, the extension web 8 projects beyond the adjacent tips of the longitudinal strips, so that the extreme tips of the two extensions 8 on each filler section are spaced from each other hy a distance corresponding to the interior length of the erate or crate section. In practice, this interior length will Vary slightly, and to allo'w for such a Variation, I make the said extensions of such width that the normal distance between their oppositely directed crate Wall engaging edges is greater than the corresponding interior crate dimension. I proride each of the longitudinal filler strips adjacent to its juncture with the endmost transverse filler strips with notches 10 :formed for permitting the Vertical portion of the endinost filler strip 'T to be fiexed away rom the adjacent crate end 9 to a limited extent. l also desirably make these endmost transrerse strips of a tougher and more resilient grade of paper than the strawboard which is ordinarily employed ;for fillers and which is ample in quality for the other transverse strips oft' my filler. Further-more, 1 do not hend the blank from which each endznost filler strip is formed sharply along the dotted line shown in Fig. T. but term a quite rounding hend so s to pcrmit this tiller Strip to he fiexed after the nianner shown in Fig. 4; without danger of cracking Or tearing the same.

When a Case as thus constructed is filled with and is subjected to a. sudden longitudinal thrust, such as that due to the switching of a car in which the eggs are he.- ing shipped, the inertia of the eggs will tend to hold the eggs stationary while the thrust upon the car will tend to move car and case. Consequently, the eggs will be engaged 'ith considerable force by the transverse filler strips on that side of the egg- 'roin which the thrust is imparted. In the intermediate transverse strips the resulting forcible engagement will do no harm it' these transi'erse strips are kept suitably spaced from each other, as each of these strips can readily be howed after the manner shown in Fig 8 by such a. thrust, therehy affording an ample Cushioning action for preventing a breakage of the eggs.

But, it' the filler as a whole were tree to slide and it the thrust should he somewhat from one side, the filler mighthuckle (as shown for exainple in Fig. 12) so as to decrease this spacing and prevent the Cell Wall interposed between two eggs in the same longitudinal row from howing adequately around each of these eggs. To revent hreakage from such a cause, I not only pack the case with ,the usual excelsior paddingat the top and bottom of the crate, but also desirably make the longitudinal filler strips ot a stitfer board so that they will resist end thrusts Without hending or huckling. Furthermore,

I desirably make the longitudinal filler strips somewhat taller than the transverse strips, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so that these longitudinal strips will be gripped edgewise between the flats when the case is packed.

However, the end row containing the eggs ll adjacent to the end 9 of the casing which is being forcibly moved in a direction to- Wards these eggs is more liable to damage, particularly as a severc thrust may hend the adjacent tips 12 of the longitudinal filter strps to one side or the other, thereby permitting the adjacent endmost transve 'se filler strip 7 to approach the end wall 9 of the crate to such an extent that a corresponding fiexing of this filler strip would cause the same to impinge flatwise against the end Wall, Whereby the resulting localized impact against this infiexihle wall is apt to break the eggs.

As for the endmost transverse strips, it will be evident that if these were not equipped with the extension webs 8, a severe thrust On each of these strips T tendng to move the same toward the adjacent 'ci-ate Wall might tear the interlock between that strip and the longitudinal filler strips. This Would permit the said Strip to hear flatwise against the adjacent crate end and the re sulting localizing of the thrust against the end row of eggs Would be apt to break the latter. However, the extension 8 on each of these strips 7 keeps the upper edge of the strip spac'ed from the adjacent crate Wall, so that a serering of the interl ok will only tilt the lower edge 01 this strip against the crate -wall as shown in Fig. 5, thereby still leaving this strp free to how around part of each contiguous egg (as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 5 and 8) so as to distribute the ressure and avoid breakage. Or, if the thrust on the edge of the extension 8 is unduly severe while the interlooking With the longitudinal strips remains unsevered, the rolled juncture of this extension With the strip Carrying the same may permit this Web to move after the manner shown in Fig. 4; so as to afford some yielding without tearing the extension Oli the strip. That is to say, the tough stock and the rollng of the hend cooperate in pernlitting a possible resilient action, although with a proper packing of the case this may only be needed to the extent of adjusting for variations in the length of the crate conipartments.

It the extensions 8 were tree to bend upwardly when being inserted, they might tend to crowd in between the erate end and the strip' ends of the superposed filler, and the extensions On the uppermost filler might tend to crowd in between the crate Walls and the top of the cratc, thus spoiling the rigidu ut ity which afi'ords the desired tight'pack efl'ec t. To prevent this, I initially form the endnaost tran'sverse strips with an acuteangled cross-section which Causes each exte'nsion to be directed downwardly before the filler is inserted in the Crate, after the manner shown in Fig. 13, Or in Other 'words gives the junctnre a permanent set to this effect. Then when the filler is inserted in the crate, the 'packing of the snperposed parts on it presses the endniost transverse strips downward and insures the horizontal positione of the extensions in which the lat ter are most effective. To allow or the initial litting' of these endmost strips, .the

'slots 4; in these strips with which the tongncs on the longitndinal strips interlock are made correspomlingly taller, as shown in Fine. 7 and 11.

However, while I have illnstrated my invention in a type of tiller enil'iodying a ('OllVGlltlOllll type of interlocking tormation and have described the same as having' the cra'te and engag'ing webs On the endm'ost transverse strips, I do 'not wish to be limited to these or other details of the construction and arrangement thus disclosed. it being obvions that the same might be varied in many ways without departing either trom the spirit. ot my invention or trom the appended elaims. F or example, Fig. 10 issa. plan 'view of a liller .in which horizontal crate-wall-engaging webs are provided not onl v On the endinost transvcrse liller stripfi but'also on the two sideniost longitndinal strips, thereby presenting a tight paeking action in :tour directions. lVhile snch a tonr way tight packing is not needed for railroad practice as cnstomarv in this country where the egg cases are regularly placed in a certain position in the ears. such a :tonr-directioned web arrangemcnt .is desirable for marine shipments where the direction o' the thrnsts cannot be predeterniincd as they ma he due either to a lateral rolling of the Ship or to an endwirse anrging o't' the same.

Fnrthernwre, I do not wish to he limited to plan-ingi' the wall-engaging and. tightpaclt ait'ordine' webs on the outer strips,

or on these alone, as the action would obvionsly be similar it such webs were 'formed troni other st-rips, although more material would then be required. For example F ig. 11 shows an part of a filler in Which the wall engaging action is secnred partly by a web 8 on the endmost traneverse filler and partly by a corresponding web 13 on the next transverse filler, so that the two Webs are both overlapped by partof the superposed fl'at. The fiatwise Clamping of this fiat on the extension web then affords resistance which cooperates with the stiflness of the wi ch-equipped filler strip's in holding this extension continnonsly in engagement with 'length ot' the filler to the variable interior length of the corresponding crate compartmont, which it. does automatically when the filler is inserted and which it will do even if this compartment were unnsually short as in Fig. t. Then When the cnate is packed, the .tlats are elamped down tightly upon the .extension webs to hold them against movement under ordinary conditions, while the engagement of the flats with the intermediate transverse strips prevents the fiilee as a whole trom Sliding even it the erate ie severely hnmped.

l claim as my invention Z r 1. A compartn'iental tiller for a container having' rigidly spaced side and end walls including Cells formed'by the interlocking' of transverse partitions ext ending substantially from one side wall to the other and longitndinal partitions terminating short o't both end walls, two oi' the transverse partitions being' extended above the longitudinal partitions and bent respectively toward the 'adjacent end walls ot 'the container to aitord extensions, each 'Oli which 'extensions projects bevond the lon ritndinal partitions and into direct, con-. tinnons and edgewise engagement with the adjacent end wall ot the container; the two transverse partitions equipped with thesaid extensions beinginterlocked at a distance from their tops with the longitudinal partitions to space the lower portions of the said 'two transverse partitions apart the said interlocking Connection r being ai' rang'ed to permit a fiexin'gof the said two transverse partitions as to very the distance between the container-wall-engag'ing edges et' the extensions, the said distance being greater be'tore the tiller 'is inserted i'n the container than the distance between 'the container walls engaged b the said edge:: when the filler is inserted.

A compartmental tiller'tor a Container, as per claim 1, in which'the partitions carry'- ing the said extensions have greater resiliency than the other partitions parallel thcreto, whereby the said more :L'esilient partitions will allow nioi 'einent of the extensions thereon nwardly of the filler and will hold the extensions respeotively in fi'rm engagement With the adjacent container Walls.

3. A compartmental filter for a container,

as per claim l, in Which the longritudinal partitions have greater stifiness than the transverse partitions so as. to rei-s't' the' thrust imparted thereto' by engagement of the tips of the longitudinal partitions with an adjacent container wall when the extension overhanging the said tip-s adjacent to said wall has been moved sufiiciently to pernnt such engageinent, and to transmit such thrust to the transverse partitions Carrying the other extension.

coinpartinental filler for a container having rigid "walls, coniprising two relatively transverse and interlocked sets of strips, each of the two endlnost strips of one set having an extension thereon overhanging and extending beyond the adjacent tips of the strips of the other set into direct and Continuous edgewise engageinent with one of the container walls, the distance between the container-wall-engaging edges of the two extensions being norinally greater than the corresponding interior dimension of the container, the interlocking connection between the two sets of strips being arranged to permit a flexing of the said two endmost strips so as to Vary the distance between the tree edges of the said extensions, each of the said two endmost strips being connected to the extension thereon by a rounded edge permitting a fiexing of the Strip adjoined thereto without rupturing the said connection, so as to perinit the fitting of the 'filler to containers of varying interior dimensions.

5. A compartmental container filler as per claim t, in which each of the filler meinbers comprising one of the said endinost strips and the extension thereon is formed with a set affording an aCute-angled Vertical section before the filler is assembled, thereby causing each such extension to be downwardly inclined from the upper edge of the strip Carrying the same and causing the extension to first engage the strips trans- Verse thereto 'adjacent to the tips of the latter whereby the said downward inclination tends to holdthe free edge of the extension below the tops of the strips transverse thereto so as to prevent this extension from overlapping the upper adjacent edge of the container wall,

6. A tight-packing filler for a container having rigidly spaced side and end walls, comprising a plurality of relatively superposed fillers separated by flat spacer meinbers; each filler eomprising Vertically walled cells formed by the interloching of partitions extending transversely of the container from one side Wall to the other and other partitions extending longitudinally of the container and terminating short of both end walls, one of the transverse Vertical partitions adjacent to each end of the filler being' extended upwardly and bent upon itself to afford an extension resting upon the longitudinal partitions and projecting beyond the tips of the latter into edgewise engageinent with the adjacent end ,container wall,'each such extension being adjoined to the partition connected thereto by a rounded edge and at an acute angle and the said partition being transversely fiexible, the interlocking connections between the lengihidinally extending partitions and the two lransverse partitions equipped with the said extensions being arranged to permit a fle):- ing of the said two partitions so as to Var-y the distance between the container-wall-engaging edges of the said extension, each spacer member being free of interlocl: with the fillers spaced thereby and resting upon the two extensions OI the next lower filler, the said resting of the spacer cooperating with the said flexibility of the extensionequipped partitions in eausing the packing of the spacer against the said extensions to fiex the said two partitions to clamp the extensions in their container-wall-engaging disposition.

7. A compartniental filler 'or a container having rigid walls, comprising two relatively transverse and interloeked sets of strips, each of the strips of One set being of flexble material and having an extension thereon overhanging and extending beyond the adjacent tips of the strips of the other set so as to present its free edge for engagement with one of the container walls, the interlocking connection between the two sets of strips being arranged to perinit a flexing of the said two endmost strips so as to vary the distance between the free edges of the said extensions, each of the saidtwo strips being connected to the extension thereon by a rounded edge permitting a flexing of the strip adjoined thereto without rupturing the said connection, so as to permit the fitting of the filler to containers of Varying interior diinensions.

S. A tight-packing filler for a Container having rigdly spaced side and end walls, comprising a plurality of relatively superposed fillers separated by fiat spacer meinbers, each filler comprising Vertieally walled Cells formed by the interlocking of partitions extending transversely of the container from one side wall to the other and other partitions extending longitudinally of the container and terniinating short of both end walls, one of the transverse Vertical partitions adjacent to each end of the filler be.- ing extended upwardly and bent upon itself to aiiord an extension Testing upon the longitudinal partitions and projecting beyond the tips of the latter to present a free edge towards the adjacent end container wall, the transverse partition to which each of the said extensions is adjoinedlbeing transversely flexible, the interlocking connections between the longitudinally extending partitions and the two transverse partitions equipped with the said extensions so as to Vary the distance between the 'free edges of the said two extensions, each spacer member being 'free of nterlock With the fillers spaced thereby and Testing upon thetwo extensions of the next lower filler, the seld Testing' of the spacer coopel'ating With the said fiexbilty of the extension-equipped parttions in causng the packing O' the spacer against the said extensions to flex the said tW'O partitions and to clamp the extensigns against the adjacent longitudinal pm ttons With each extension projectng be- 10 yond the adjacent ends of the longitudnal pertitons.

Signed :lt Chicago, Illinois, July lth, 19.22.

ASA B. SEGR. 

